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User blog:PACERRECAP/Note on the 'permanent EMP' bug
20180311: This bug has been fixed in version 3.3.3, the following note is now obsolete. 20171103: Corrected Foehn EMP to its official name Blackout. The title is impossible to edit though. Foehn's Blackout can cause a bug which disables production permanently even after the Blackout effect is over. This note is based on Mental Omega version 3.3.2. Reproduction The bug can be produced by Blackout effect from any sources including Haihead Blackout Missile support power, Raccoons's beam and Ramwagons' deploy weapon. The lock down happens at the moment when the Blackout effect on a production structure wear off: * If its owner is low on power at this moment, the structure will be "locked" (disabled permanently). A disabled structure can neither be assigned ready points nor be set as primary. * If its owner has sufficient power supply at this moment, the structure will become operational again. Any "locked" structure will be "unlocked". Note that Haihead's Blackout Missile is capable of producing such bug, as the power status is evaluated after production resumes. Effect If the owner has several structures of the same type (E.G. Barracks, Factories, Airfields): * If all the structures of the same type is "locked", his menu of the respective type will turn black, and can no longer construct these units. * If at least one of the structures is functional, the menu will return to normal and unit training will continue. In the latter case, the owner may train all available units (even those exclusive to a locked down factory) at unaffected speed, as if the other production structures are not locked down at all. Countermeasures In order to resume production, the structure owner may choose between: * Construct another production structure of this type. * With sufficient power, unlock one of the structures by force-firing with any Blackout weapon. * With sufficient power, expect the enemy hits it again with Blackout weapons. For non-Foehn players, the only viable option is constructing a second structure. Affected structures * Epsilon and Foehn Barracks. The Allied's and Soviet's are immune. Building Knightfall Protocol will not unlock a locked Foehn Barracks. * All War Factories. Stalin's Fist is immune. * Foehn Shipyard. All the other three Shipyards are immune. * All Airfields except Tech Airfield, whether with Drop Control or not. Building Drop Control will not unlock a locked Air Force Command Headquarters. All support powers are temporally halted and will resume work when the effect wears off. * Allied Runway. * Epsilon Cloning Vats. Note that a locked down Vat still produces a duplicate and provides cash income, but cannot be assigned a ready point. * Sometimes superweapons' image gets frozen. For example Nuke Silo's hatch remains opened even after launch. All countdown timers is never effected. (Note that the Blast Furnace's countdown will be reset, that's not a bug.) Influence on gameplay This may affect gameplay and provides a slight advantage for Haihead users. For other Foehn factions, spamming Raccoons for this is simply not logical. * In PvP matches, if a Blackout Missile shuts down one's production and power at the same time, it will lock down the production building which was hit. For non-Foehn factions the only choice seems to build a second one. This can be particularly effective versus Soviet factions, as a lot of players rely on one single nuclear reactor as main power supply. * This works on AIs too. In PvE battles, it is possible to lock down all AI's production structures, and make it do literally nothing. A useful tactics is to cut AI's power either by destroying Power Plants or by infiltration, then launch Blackout Missile at the chosen production structure. Note that Allied's and Soviet's Barracks cannot be locked down. And Epsilon's Cloning Vat is needed to be locked to cease infantry production. This is not a useful tactic unless for fun. * It is fun. Category:Blog posts